Optimized URLs are a crucial component of technical SEO for ecommerce businesses. The URLs for product and category pages, in particular, significantly impact rankings and click-through rates. A well-structured URL enhances user experience, improves search engine rankings, and increases click-through rates, ultimately leading to more traffic and sales.
The Importance of Ecommerce URL Structure
A URL serves as a digital address, guiding users and search engines to specific pages on a website. In the context of ecommerce, these URLs can lead to product pages, category pages, or other relevant content. The structure of these links can significantly affect both SEO and user experience. A well-structured permalink provides a clear path for users and search engines.
According to a 2019 study, URLs containing a keyword rank, on average, 1.3 positions higher in Google search results than those without keywords. Search engines analyze ecommerce URL structure to understand page context, relevance, and site hierarchy. Well-structured URLs make it easier for search engines to index and rank pages appropriately. The appearance of a page’s URL in search results also influences user behavior; a clear and descriptive URL encourages clicks, building trust and setting expectations.
Key Traits of Effective Ecommerce URLs
Effective URLs share three key traits: short length, proper formatting with hyphens, and descriptive relevance. Shorter, simpler URLs are easier to read and understand for users. Long, parameter-heavy URLs should be avoided. Unnecessary parameters like .php or .html should be omitted in favor of clean URLs. Folder nesting and subfolders within URLs should be limited, and excessive hyphenation should be avoided.
URLs should utilize hyphens (-) to separate words and phrases. Underscores and spaces should be avoided as they can cause issues with readability and indexing. Descriptive relevance is achieved by incorporating keywords into the URL where possible, reinforcing the page topic and potentially improving click-through rates. However, keyword stuffing—cramming too many keywords into a URL—should be avoided as it can appear spammy and harm SEO efforts.
Best Practices for Ecommerce Page Types
Specific recommendations exist for structuring URLs for common ecommerce page types. Product URLs should include the primary product name keywords, keeping the names concise using hyphens. Repetitive product codes or SKUs should be avoided in URLs. An example of a well-structured product URL is example.com/category/subcategory/product-name.
Category URLs should use category names in the URL path, progressing from broadest to most specific category. For example: example.com/category/subcategory. Brand URLs should include brand keywords to help search engines understand the page, maintaining consistency with capitalization and delimiters. An example is example.com/brand-name. Coupon code URLs can be structured to create easy access directly to coupon pages and aid search indexing: example.com/coupons/coupon-code.
Optimizing for User-Friendliness
URLs are displayed in search engines and shared on social media, making usability a priority. Excessive keywords should be avoided in favor of natural, readable URLs optimized for actual users. Words should be spelled out rather than obscured by abbreviations. While case sensitivity can be a factor, many users expect lowercase URLs. The ultimate goal is to drive clicks and conversions, not just rankings.
Technical Considerations and Tools
Ecommerce platforms and Content Management Systems (CMSs) provide tools to customize and optimize URL structures. Shopify generates SEO-friendly URLs, allowing users to edit the URL slug within the platform. WooCommerce allows for editing permalinks for products, categories, and tags. WordPress offers extensive URL control through permalink settings.
Monitoring and adjusting URL structure regularly is crucial. Tools like Google Search Console and Screaming Frog can analyze URL performance, identifying broken links, redirect chains, and duplicate content that could negatively impact SEO. Google Search Console’s ‘Performance’ report shows URL performance in search results, while the ‘Coverage’ report identifies indexing issues. Screaming Frog can crawl a site to detect redirect chains and excessive URL parameters.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Several common mistakes can harm an ecommerce site’s performance. Changing URLs without implementing 301 redirects can lead to broken links and loss of SEO value. Keyword stuffing can make URLs appear spammy. Using underscores or spaces instead of hyphens can cause indexing issues. Ignoring mobile optimization can negatively impact user experience, as many users access ecommerce sites via mobile devices.
For multilingual sites, the source materials suggest choosing between subdomains or subdirectories, noting that subdirectories are generally easier to manage.
Conclusion
Optimizing ecommerce permalink structure is a critical, yet often overlooked, aspect of SEO. By adhering to best practices—including using descriptive keywords, maintaining short and simple URLs, and prioritizing user-friendliness—businesses can improve search engine rankings, increase click-through rates, and enhance the overall shopping experience. Regular monitoring and adjustment using tools like Google Search Console and Screaming Frog are essential for maintaining an effective URL structure.